Stock enclosure and system of elec



Examines BEST AVAILABLE copy E. .1. GENGLER Re. 19,922 6 STOCKENCLOSUREAND SYSTEM OF ELECTRICALLY CHARGING' THE SAME l April 7, 1936.

Original Filed Nov. 23, 1932 .M m @MHM v xi. f L fm m Reissued Apr. 7,1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STOCK ENCLOSURE AND SYSTEM OF ELEC-TRICALLY CHARGING THE SAME Edwin J. Gengler, Milwaukee, Wis.

4 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to an improved protective stock enclosure andsystem of electrically charging the same.

The invention seeks, among other objects, to provide an enclosurewherein one or more of the fence wires thereof will be electricallycharged so that an animal coming in contact with the fence will receivean electric shock and will thus be deterred from breaking through thefence to escape.

The invention seeks, as a further object, to provide an enclosurewherein the fence wires thereof will be electrically chargedperiodically so that should an animal come in contact with the fence atthe time it is charged and is shocked to such a degree as to prevent avoluntary release from the fence, subsequent de-energization of thefence wires will permit the animal to move away from the fence withouteffort so that injury which might otherwise ensue to the animal will beavoided.

Another primary object of the invention is to provide an enclosurewherein the time interval of energlzation of the fence may be readilyregulated to suit varying conditions and the sizes of the animals beingrestrained.

A further salient object of the invention is the provision of meansincorporated with the fence, whereby to prevent an excessive flow ofcurrent through the shock circuit, so that injury to the animals will beeliminated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a lamp orequivalent means in the shock circuit for serving the dual function ofgiving the signal when the shock circuit is closed, and forpredetermining the current and voltage in the circuit to prevent injuryto the animals.

In this connection it is a particular object of this invention toprovide av signal so connected with the shock circuit as to indicate byits signal strength or intensity, vthe nature of the ground connectionclosing the shock circuit and thereby depict the state of operativenessof the shock circuit.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means which willpermit the using of a commercial supply circuit, such as is found onfarms, ranches, etc., for electrically charging a fence without dangerto man or animals.

Other and incidental objects, not particularly mentioned in theforegoing, will be apparent during the course of the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification:

Figure l is a perspective view of a stock enclosure embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a front elevation showing the box preferably employed tohouse the switch and circuit closer used.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the circuit closer.

Figure 4 is an edge elevation of the circuit closer.

Figure 5 is an elevation of the circuit closer particularly showing thecontact screw employed.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the circuits.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I have shown a stockenclosure which is intended to typify any suitable enclosure for livestock or other animals. In the present instance, I have shown fenceposts I 0 which carry a number of fence wires, one of which is indicatedat I I. Any approved number of fence wires may, of

course, be used or, in lieu thereof, a woven Wire fence may besubstituted. A gate for the enc closure is shown at I2.

In order to house certain operating parts oi my device, I preferablyprovide a suitable metal or like box I3 having an entrance door I4. Thisbox may be mounted adjacent to the enclosure, as shown in Figure l, orat any other convenient or approved location. Arranged within the box isany preferred type of manually operated switch I5. 'I'he specificconstruction of the switch I5 is unimportant, and obviously any desiredtype of switch can be utilized. Mounted within the box or upon the topwall of the box is a lamp socket I6, which removably receives a flasherlamp I'I. Arranged adjacent to the socket I6 is a like socket I8, whichremovably receives a combined load and flasher lamp I9. If desired, aprotecting hood 20 may be provided for the lamps I1 and I9. As shown,the hood simply rests on the top Wall of the box I3 so that the hood maybe readily removed when necessary, and formed in the hood are sightopenings 2| so that the flashing of the lamps II and I9 may be readilyobserved.

Mounted upon the bottom wall of the box is a circuit closer. In thisinstance, I have shown the use of a thermostatic circuit closer, but itis to be understood that any approved circuit closer of other type maybe substituted therefor. The circuit closer shown includes, as will beobserved, an oblong base 22, which is of suitable insulating material,and extending longitudinally of the base is an appropriate highresistance metallic thermostatic strip 23 anchored at its ends byfastening devices 24.

Extending parallel to the strip 23 is a nonthermostatic conductor strip25 secured at its ends to the base by fastening devices 26. Fixed to thestrip 25, medially thereof, is a plate 21 offset to overhang the strip23, and screwed through said plate, near its free end, is a contactscrew 28. When current is passed through the strip 23, and, due to itsresistance, said strip is caused to heat, the strip will, as shown indotted lines in Figure 4, expand and bow upwardly to engage the screw 28for closing a circuit therethrough.

Leading from one side of a suitable supply circuit, such as iscommercially used and found on farms, ranches, etc., as particularlyshown in Figure 6, is a wire 29 connected to one end of the strip 23 ofthe circuit closer, and leading from the opposite end of said strip toreturn to the other side of the supply circuit is a wire 30 interruptedby the switch I5. Thus, the wires 29 and Sil provide a primary circuitfor heating the thermostatic element 23, flow oi current in said circuitbeing controlled by the switch I5, which is y used as a manual means foropening and closing the circuit.

Connected to one end of the conductor strip 25 of the circuit closer isa wire 3| leading to one side of the lamp I1, and leading from the otherside of said lamp is a wire 32 connected with the wire 30 of the primarycircuit. The wires 3| and 32 thus provide a flasher circuit parallelingthe lamp I1 with the heating or primary circuit, thus giving visualevidence that the heating circuit is being made and broken at apredetermined Irequency. Connected with the wire 3| of the flashercircuit is a wire 33 leading to one side of the lamp I9, and leadingfrom the opposite side of said lamp to the fence wire IIv is a wire 34.The wires 33, 34 and II thus provide an open shock circuit connectingthe lamp I9 in series with one side of the flasher circuit. By choosinga lamp, resistance, reactarrce, or other device of this nature of theproper electrical dimensions, the current and voltage of said circuitmay be easily predetermined. Thus. a lamp is selected for limiting theflow of current in the shock circuit to an amount which is not dangerousto man or animals.

While I have shown a lamp I9 in the shock circuit, it is to beunderstood that other devices can be utilized in lieu thereof forregulating the strength oi the current and voltage in the shock circuit.

However, it is essential that the means employed also provide a signal,or that some other signal means be provided so that the state ofoperativeness of the shock circuit will be at all times indicated.

Assuming now that the switch I5 is closed, it will be seen that currentwill flow through the wires 29 and 30 for heating the element 23, aspreviously described, when this element will iiex upwardly to engage thescrew 28. Current will then flow through the screw, the plate 21, strip25, and wires 3| and 32 for energizing the lamp I1, with the result thatthe lamp will be caused to flash for giving a visible signal of theoperation of the circuit closer.

In this connection, it should be noted that the resistance of theflasher circuit, including the lamp I1, is less than the resistanceoffered by half the length of the strip 23 so that upon engagement ofsaid strip with the contact screw 28, current will, as stated, ow in theflasher circuit. Upcn the engagement of the strip with the contact screw28, however, the reduction in the flow of current therethrough, for thereason just stated, will result in immediate cooling of the strip andits consequent contraction out of engagement with the screw 28.Accordingly, the flasher circuit will be broken to extinguish the lampI1 with resultant re-heating of the strip 23 to again engage the contactscrew, and this cycle will be repeated indenitely as long as the switchI5 remains closed.

When the flasher circuit is closed, the open shock circuit formed by thewires 33, 34, and I I, and including the lamp I9, will be energized sothat should an animal within the enclosure at that time come in contactwith the wire II, the circuit will be closed through the animal to theground with resultant electrical shock to the animal.

When the contact strip 23 subsequently moves away from the contact screw2B, however, the shock circuit will, as will be perceived= bedeenergized so that the animal will be permitted to freely move awayfrom the enclosure fence. Injury which might otherwise result to theanimal will thus be avoided. f

Furthermore, as will be seen, by adjusting the screw 28 of the circuitcloser downwardly to de- "2 crease the movement of the strip whenheated, the length of time the shock circuit is de-energized may beprolonged. Also, it is to be noted that when the shock circuit is closedby an animal coming in Contact with the wire II, the lamp I9 will beenergized to thus visually indicate that the animal is, at some point inthe enclosure, in contact with the fence. Accordingly, should the lampI9 continue to flash each time the lamp I1 flashes, such condition willindicate to the owner or the caretaker that the animal is entangled inthe fence so that immediate ald may be given.

The continued ashing of the lamp I9 would also indicate that the fencehas been grounded in some other manner as by part of the charged wiresagging to the ground or some extraneous element bridging itelectrically to the ground. If the flashes of the lamp, or in otherwords its signal, are of maximum intensity it is an indication that theshock circuit is wholly grounded and dead, but if the light is dim itindicates that the fence is at least partially charged.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that I have provided a device wherebythe conventional electric power system may be used as a source o!electrical supply for energizing an animal shock circuit without dangerto man or animals, and thereby eliminate the necessity of providinglocal battery circuits, etc., as previously contemplated in this art.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a fence having a bare wire adapted to beelectrically grounded through the body of an animal coming in contacttherewith, means for intermittently and momentarily electricallyenergizing said bare wire comprising an electrical circuit adapted to beconnected with a source of electrical energy so as to be energizedthereby, an automatic circuit making and breaking device permanentlyconnected in said circuit to be operable by the electrical energythereof as long as said circuit is closed, said circuit making andbreaking device including a contact which is connected with saidenergized circuit, means for connecting the bare Wire with said contactso that said wire is electrically connected with the energized circuitwhenever the circuit making and breaking device is in circuit closingcondition, the open period of the circuit making and breaking devicebeing of sufficient duration to release an animal coming 1n contact withthe bare wire, and a signal controlled by said circuit making andbreaking device to indicate the operativeness of the system.

2. In combination with a shock circuit comprising a bare wire strung asa fence and adapted to be electrically grounded through the body of ananimal coming in contact therewith, means for intermittently andmomentarily electrically energizing said bare wire, and a signal deviceconnected in series with said bare wire to be operable by the groundingof said wire through the body of an animal contacting the same or in anyother manner, said signal device operating with an intensity dependingupon the electrical resistance oi.' the ground connection so that thenature ot the ground connection and the state of operativeness of theshock circuit is indicated by the intensity of the signal. l

3. In combination with a shock circuit comprising a bare wire strung asa fence and adapted to be electrically grounded through the body of ananimal coming in contact therewith, means for intermittently andmomentarily electrically energizing said wire, a signal device operablecontinuously and concomitantly with the intermittent energization ofsaid bare wire, and a second signal device connected in series with thebare wire to be operable upon the grounding of said wire in any manner,said signal device operating with an intensity depending upon theelectrical resistance of the ground connection so that the character oi'the ground connection and the state of operativeness of the shockcircuit is indicated by said second signal device.

4. In combination with a i'ence having a bare wire adapted to beelectrically grounded through the body of an animal coming in contacttherewith, means for intermittently and momentarily electricallyenergizing said bare wire comprising an electrical circuit adapted to beconnected with a source of electrical energy so as to be energizedthereby, an automatic circuit making and breaking device permanentlyconnected with said circuit to be operable by the energy thereof as longas said circuit is closed, a signal device operable concomitantly withthe action of the circuit making and breaking device and continuing inoperation as long as said circuit making and breaking device isoperative means for connecting the bare wire with said energized circuitthrough the circuit making and breaking device so that the bare wire isintermittently and momentarily energized at the dictation of saidcircuit making and breaking device. and a second signal device connectedin series with the bare wire to be operable upon grounding oi.' the wirein any manner, the intensity of said second signal device beingdependent upon the electrical resistance of the ground connection sothat the character of the ground connection and the state ofoperativeness of the system is indicated by said second signal device.

EDWIN J. GENGLER.

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